With luggage, there appears to be two main routes that manufacturers tend to travel on. The first of these routes is to focus on one single area of your product and make it the absolute best that there is. We often see this when companies want to make their luggage or suitcase the lightest or most durable on the market. While they often find success with this route, there’s the danger of all other aspects of the product taking a bit of a backseat. As a result, you end up getting a suitcase that’s really, really awesome in one area, but pretty disappointing in all other ones.
The other route that companies can take is that in which they try to be the jack of all trades. With this route, a company will set out to make its suitcase perform incredible well in all areas imaginable. There won’t be one part of the suitcase that it does better than everyone else, but it strives to be very reliable in as many areas as it can. So, which of these routes is the best to take? There really isn’t one set answer for this question. Each company operates differently, and each company has its own unique set of experience. As a result, one route may be great for one company, but not that great for another. The next suitcase on our list comes way of Delsey Luggage, and the particular product in question is called the Helium Aero. The Helium Aero doesn’t try to be the expert in one particular area, but rather tries to be a really solid performer in every single category. Does this method pay off for Delsey? Or do they ultimately fail while trying to excel in every area imaginable? There’s only one way to find out.
Brand Overview
If you’re from France or spent any time in the country, the Delsey name just might sound familiar to you. The company has been around since 1946, and the name is synonymous with the French in regards to raw excellence in the world of luggage and other travel gear. Delsey prides itself on creating products that are reliable, innovative, and ones that are increasingly becoming more and more lightweight by design. Although Delsey hasn’t been around as long as some of its competitors, the pure genius and innovative minds behind the company have us convinced that there’s a very bright future ahead for these guys. And, coincidentally, the Helium Aero is a perfect example of the company’s passion for creating premium and excellent items of luggage.
Features
- The Delsey Helium Aero is made up out of 100% polycarbonate, and this allows for the suitcase to not only be very lightweight, but extremely durable at the exact same time. Polycarbonate is a material that’s known to be quite resistant to all sorts of elements, and thanks to its use here on the Helium Aero, you shouldn’t ever have to worry about the outside cracking or breaking on you during your travels.
- Delsey decided to kick things up a notch when it comes to spinner wheels, and has included double spinners on the Helium Aero. These double spinners promise to provide for an incredibly fluid and smooth experience when pulling the suitcase, and claims that your arms will experience zero weight because of this.
- Although there’s already an ample amount of storage space in the Helium Aero, Delsey has included an expansion area that allows the storage area to increase by 2 entire inches. While this may seem unnecessary at first, you’ll be very thankful to have it once you go on vacation, purchase a heap of souvenirs, and then realize that you’re leaving with a considerably large amount of stuff than you initially left with.
- We mentioned above that the inside of the Helium Aero features a great deal of packing space, but just exactly how much are we talking about? The interior of this particular suitcase features 2 fully-lined compartments that will be able to hold the vast majority of your items. However, if you have smaller and more valuable items that are prone to getting lost easily, the included pockets found throughout the entire bag will definitely prove to be a great addition.
- If security is an area that you place a great deal of concern on, you’ll be thrilled to know that the Delsey Helium Aero comes equipped with a TSA-Accepted Lock on the side of the suitcase. Along with keeping your items secure and tucked away, only official TSA agents will be able to open up and inspect your bag when traveling through the airlines. This is another feature that may not sound like that big of a deal on paper, but it should prove to be a great convenience once used in the real world.
Pros
- Delsey is a company that prides itself on creating luggage that’s incredibly lightweight, and that goal is easily found here with the Helium Aero. The suitcase is amazingly light, and even after packed full with clothes and other items for a trip of over 2 weeks, the final weight should come in at just under 40-pounds. That right there is a truly amazing feat in engineering, and is honestly one of the biggest strongpoints that the Delsey Helium Aero has going for it. If you’re someone who does a lot of traveling and hates having to lug around a big and bulky suitcase, this will already be a huge win for you.
- Even when you have to pack for long trips of 2 weeks or more, the included storage space inside the Delsey Helium Aero should prove to provide plenty of space without having to open the extra 2-inches of expandable storage. It’s great knowing that it’s there in case you ever need it, but it’s even more reassuring to know that the default storage space is already very roomy and spacious.
- The included spinners on the Aero also prove to meet the expectations that Delsey is making for them. The wheels are rated to sail smoothly over any surface out there, and the adjustable handle makes hauling the Aero an easy and comfortable experience for people of all heights.
- Delsey’s Helium Aero features a very nice sense of refinement throughout the entire product. The outside finish of the suitcase features a glossy design, the interior uses a material that’s very reminiscent to that of fabric, and the handles for the zipper are made out of a rubber material. All of this comes together to create a suitcase that feels like a lot of time and effort went into the creation process.
Cons
- After doing a bit of research, we were able to find that a handful of owners reported that the outside of their Helium Aero acquired rather large and nasty cracks after just a couple initial instances of use.
- To make matters worse for these customers who experienced the cracking, Delsey’s warranty doesn’t cover this type of damage. While there is a 5-year limited warranty that’s included, Delsey won’t cover any damage that’s done by an airport. So, if an airline employee is responsible for accidentally cracking your suitcase, Delsey won’t do anything about it.
Final Verdict
Although it can often prove to be a very risky route to take, Delsey tried to have it all with the Helium Aero. With a lightweight design, ample amount of storage space in the interior, smooth spinners, and a very polished and refined nature, the company tried to cover a lot of ground with just one product. So, that begs the question – did Delsey succeed?
Overall, we’d have to say yes! There’s no denying how lightweight the Helium Aero is, and the loads of storage space is both unexpected and very welcome. The issues that some customers have reported of the outside cracking does cause for a bit of hesitation, the company’s extremely limited warranty doesn’t do anything to calm that hesitation down. However, this cracking is so minimal that it appears to have been some form of quality control issue that we’re guessing Delsey was able to iron out by now.
The Helium Aero is going to cost you just under $150, and that’s still a pretty sweet deal when you consider that this is a suitcase that excels in nearly every category imaginable.
In case you feel that this product doesn’t meet your expectations, please take a look at other options in our full suitcases guide.